EP0638826A2 - Epissure d'un circuit optique intégré et de fibres de verre - Google Patents

Epissure d'un circuit optique intégré et de fibres de verre Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0638826A2
EP0638826A2 EP94305748A EP94305748A EP0638826A2 EP 0638826 A2 EP0638826 A2 EP 0638826A2 EP 94305748 A EP94305748 A EP 94305748A EP 94305748 A EP94305748 A EP 94305748A EP 0638826 A2 EP0638826 A2 EP 0638826A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
waveguide
distance
glass
optical
waveguides
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP94305748A
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German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0638826A3 (fr
Inventor
Herman M. Presby
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
AT&T Corp
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AT&T Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by AT&T Corp filed Critical AT&T Corp
Publication of EP0638826A2 publication Critical patent/EP0638826A2/fr
Publication of EP0638826A3 publication Critical patent/EP0638826A3/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
    • G02B6/255—Splicing of light guides, e.g. by fusion or bonding
    • G02B6/2551—Splicing of light guides, e.g. by fusion or bonding using thermal methods, e.g. fusion welding by arc discharge, laser beam, plasma torch
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
    • G02B6/26—Optical coupling means
    • G02B6/30—Optical coupling means for use between fibre and thin-film device

Definitions

  • This invention relates to integrated optical circuits and, in particular, to silicon optical bench waveguide structures, and methods for coupling such structures to glass optical fibers.
  • the typical integrated optical device is fabricated by the deposition of doped silica films on a silicon substrate. The films are then patterned to produce waveguides. See, for example, J.T. Boyd et al., Optical Engineering Vol. 24, No. 2, pp. 230-234, (1958), and F.S. Hickernell, Solid State Technology , Vol. 31, No. 11, pp. 83-88, 1988.
  • the use of such techniques permits the fabrication of a variety of integrated optical devices such as multiplexers, adiabatic polarization splitters, and array star couplers.
  • optical fibers are butt-coupled to the waveguide ends, and secured thereto by means of a bonding material such as an epoxy.
  • a bonding material such as an epoxy.
  • the device may be covered with a thin silica coverplate, affixed with a low loss adhesive, as described in U.S. Patent 5,076,654, issued Dec. 31, 1991, and assigned to applicant's assigne.
  • the object of the present invention to avoid the use of bonding materials by providing a new waveguiding structure, and a method of fusing such a structure directly to an optical fiber using currently available technology.
  • the present invention utilizes existing electric arc fusion splicers and laser splicers for connecting silica waveguides to optical fibers in a manner similar to their use as fiber-to-fiber splicers.
  • the waveguide structure is covered with a layer of glass to provide physical support to the end of the waveguide.
  • the silicon substrate under the waveguide is then removed, leaving a platform of glass which can then be fused to a fiber in the arc of a standard fusion machine.
  • heat for splicing the fiber to the waveguide is obtained from a high power laser, such as a CO2 laser.
  • FIG. 1 shows the general configuration of the class of integrated optical devices to which the invention relates.
  • such devices are fabricated by depositing doped silica waveguides on a silicon substrate using standard silica/silicon (SiO2/Si) technology as described in IEEE Photonics Technology Letters , Vol. 1, No. 8, August 1984, pages 241-243, by C. Dragone et al.
  • SiO2/Si standard silica/silicon
  • Such devices can be configured to form a variety of useful devices for communications and signal processing.
  • the interaction region 10 is illustrated without detail.
  • Signals are coupled into and out of region 10 by means of one or more single-mode waveguides 11-1, 11-2,... 11-n, and 12-1, 12-2, ... 12-m.
  • a section of silicon substrate 13 between the ends of the waveguides and the overlaying silica layers are advantageously removed to provide heat breaks 14-1, 14-2,... 14(n-1), and 15-1, 15-2, 15-(m-1).
  • the purpose of the heat breaks is to thermally insulate the ends of each waveguide from its adjacent waveguides, as explained in U.S. Patent 5,208,885, issued May 4, 1993 and assigned to applicant's assigne.
  • FIG. 2 shows, in greater detail, the fingers formed at the ends of the waveguides by the removal of portions of the structure between adjacent waveguides.
  • Each finger includes a silicon substrate 13, a doped silica base layer 20, a core 21 and a cladding 22.
  • a layer of glass is deposited over each of the fingers and a portion of the adjacent structure, and the silicon substrate under the fingers and under a portion of the adjacent structure is removed.
  • FIG. 3 shows a finger 30 under which the substrate 31 has been removed, and over which a layer of glass 32 has been deposited.
  • the primary function of the glass layer is to provide structural strength to the fingers after the silicon substrate has been removed.
  • the glass advantageously extends over the entire finger and over a portion of the adjacent structure, as illusrated in FIG. 3.
  • the finger is 1 mm long, approximately 1 to 2 mm of the substrate is removed, and the glass layer extends between 2 to 4 mm to provide a secure anchor to the rest of the structure.
  • the glass is applied by melting it onto the waveguide. Accordingly, the glass should have a melting point that is lower than that of the silica waveguiding structure. In addition, the coefficient of thermal expansion of the glass should match, as closely as possible, that of the optical circuits. Borosilicate glass, with a melting point of 821°C, and a coefficient of thermal expansion of 32.5, meets these requirements.
  • the fingers With the fingers thus modified, they can be readily butt-coupled to the optical fibers using a standard electric-arc fusion splicing machine, as illustrated in FIG. 4. With the core 40 of the waveguide 41 aligned with the core 42 of fiber 43, and in contact with each other, the two are fused together in the arc of the fusion machine, represented by electrodes 44 and 45.
  • the heat for splicing the fiber to the waveguides can be derived from a CO2 laser.
  • an array of fibers can be simultaneously aligned with the waveguides of the optical devices using standard V-groove holders.
  • the holding mechanism of the electric-arc fusion splicing machine is modified to accommodate the integrated optical circuits.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • Optical Couplings Of Light Guides (AREA)
  • Optical Integrated Circuits (AREA)
EP94305748A 1993-08-12 1994-08-03 Epissure d'un circuit optique intégré et de fibres de verre. Withdrawn EP0638826A3 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US08/105,788 US5371818A (en) 1993-08-12 1993-08-12 Integrated optical circuit and methods for connecting such circuits to glass fibers
US105788 1998-06-26

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0638826A2 true EP0638826A2 (fr) 1995-02-15
EP0638826A3 EP0638826A3 (fr) 1995-04-26

Family

ID=22307781

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP94305748A Withdrawn EP0638826A3 (fr) 1993-08-12 1994-08-03 Epissure d'un circuit optique intégré et de fibres de verre.

Country Status (3)

Country Link
US (1) US5371818A (fr)
EP (1) EP0638826A3 (fr)
JP (1) JPH07151933A (fr)

Families Citing this family (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5600742A (en) * 1994-09-30 1997-02-04 Lucent Technologies Inc. Wavelength grating router with output coupler
US5768457A (en) * 1995-11-30 1998-06-16 Lucent Technologies Inc. Multilayered connector pads for supporting butt-joined optical arrays
US5987196A (en) * 1997-11-06 1999-11-16 Micron Technology, Inc. Semiconductor structure having an optical signal path in a substrate and method for forming the same
KR100288445B1 (ko) * 1997-12-30 2001-05-02 윤종용 클래드외경이서로다른두광섬유를결합하는방법
US6611635B1 (en) 1998-10-09 2003-08-26 Fujitsu Limited Opto-electronic substrates with electrical and optical interconnections and methods for making
US6706546B2 (en) 1998-10-09 2004-03-16 Fujitsu Limited Optical reflective structures and method for making
US6684007B2 (en) 1998-10-09 2004-01-27 Fujitsu Limited Optical coupling structures and the fabrication processes
US6690845B1 (en) 1998-10-09 2004-02-10 Fujitsu Limited Three-dimensional opto-electronic modules with electrical and optical interconnections and methods for making
US6785447B2 (en) 1998-10-09 2004-08-31 Fujitsu Limited Single and multilayer waveguides and fabrication process
US6343171B1 (en) 1998-10-09 2002-01-29 Fujitsu Limited Systems based on opto-electronic substrates with electrical and optical interconnections and methods for making
US6845184B1 (en) 1998-10-09 2005-01-18 Fujitsu Limited Multi-layer opto-electronic substrates with electrical and optical interconnections and methods for making
JP2001274528A (ja) 2000-01-21 2001-10-05 Fujitsu Ltd 薄膜デバイスの基板間転写方法
US6788853B2 (en) 2000-06-28 2004-09-07 Shipley Company, L.L.C. Method for cleaving integrated optic waveguides to provide a smooth waveguide endface
DE10045566A1 (de) * 2000-09-14 2002-03-28 Scc Special Comm Cables Gmbh Optischer Chip und Verfahren zur Herstellung eines strukturverstärkten optischen Chips
GB2373344A (en) * 2001-03-16 2002-09-18 Bookham Technology Plc Optical coupling using direct bonding
US20050180695A1 (en) * 2002-10-15 2005-08-18 Sagitta Engineering Solutions Ltd. Method and apparatus for planar lightwave circuits pigtailing
JP2008242012A (ja) * 2007-03-27 2008-10-09 Mitsubishi Cable Ind Ltd レーザーガイド用光ファイバ及びそれを備えたレーザーガイド
DE102015224397A1 (de) * 2015-12-07 2017-06-08 Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V. Steckbare Faserkoppeleinheit, Faserkoppelsystem und Verfahren zur Ankopplung von optischen Fasern an integrierte optische Wellenleiter

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS6385509A (ja) * 1986-09-29 1988-04-16 Fujitsu Ltd 光導波路と光フアイバの結合方法
JPH01193704A (ja) * 1988-01-29 1989-08-03 Furukawa Electric Co Ltd:The 光導波路部品の接続部
EP0420028A2 (fr) * 1989-09-29 1991-04-03 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Arrangement de couplage optique pour coupler une fibre avec un guide d'onde optique planair intégré dans un substrat
FR2661512A1 (fr) * 1990-04-27 1991-10-31 Alcatel Fibres Optiques Procede de connexion d'une fibre optique a un guide d'ondes d'optique integree et composant optique resultant.
US5208885A (en) * 1992-02-27 1993-05-04 At&T Bell Laboratories Optical fiber to strip waveguide interconnect

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5015059A (en) * 1988-01-15 1991-05-14 E. I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company Optical fiber connector assemblies and methods of making the assemblies
US5080458A (en) * 1990-10-22 1992-01-14 United Technologies Corporation Method and apparatus for positioning an optical fiber
US5076654A (en) * 1990-10-29 1991-12-31 At&T Bell Laboratories Packaging of silicon optical components
US5175781A (en) * 1991-10-11 1992-12-29 United Technologies Corporation Attaching optical fibers to integrated optic chips

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS6385509A (ja) * 1986-09-29 1988-04-16 Fujitsu Ltd 光導波路と光フアイバの結合方法
JPH01193704A (ja) * 1988-01-29 1989-08-03 Furukawa Electric Co Ltd:The 光導波路部品の接続部
EP0420028A2 (fr) * 1989-09-29 1991-04-03 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Arrangement de couplage optique pour coupler une fibre avec un guide d'onde optique planair intégré dans un substrat
FR2661512A1 (fr) * 1990-04-27 1991-10-31 Alcatel Fibres Optiques Procede de connexion d'une fibre optique a un guide d'ondes d'optique integree et composant optique resultant.
US5208885A (en) * 1992-02-27 1993-05-04 At&T Bell Laboratories Optical fiber to strip waveguide interconnect

Non-Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 12, no. 319 (P-751) 30 August 1988 & JP-A-63 085 509 (FUJITSU) 16 April 1988 *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 13, no. 482 (P-953) 2 November 1989 & JP-A-01 193 704 (EURUKAWA ELECTRIC) 3 August 1989 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0638826A3 (fr) 1995-04-26
JPH07151933A (ja) 1995-06-16
US5371818A (en) 1994-12-06

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